Aiwendil, Lover of Birds
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: Aiwendil, better known as Radagast in Middle-earth, demonstrates what made him one of the greatest guardian angels of Eru Ilúvatar's creations, in this case, the bird family.


**A/N: **Radagast the Brown is a largely uncelebrated Istari, and I want to show his love for animals in a sympathetic way in a few stories. This short fanfic is about his "youth" in Valinor as a servant of the Vala Yavanna, where he was named Aiwendil, and how he gained an appreciation for the so-called lower life forms of the earth. There are several ways Aiwendil (Radagast) is like the real world saint, St. Francis of Assisi, whom Radagast bears a striking resemblance to in manner of dress.

…

**Aiwendil, Lover of Birds**

…

In Valinor, during the ages of the Two Trees…

Aiwendil, a Maia in the service of the Aratar Vala Yavanna, Giver of Fruits, was taking a walk in the forests of Aman, the Undying Lands, and his mistress was guiding him through it.

"I am certain that you understand what to do as my chief servant, young Aiwendil," said Yavanna venerably.

"I must help you tend to the Kelvar and Olvar of the world of Eä," Aiwendil pronounced. "Your duties are to sustain the trees and other Olvar, living things that grow and are rooted in the ground, as I have come to understand; and my duties as your chief servant are to protect and tend to the Kelvar, or animals that move and can flee or face danger."

"Exactly," said Yavanna. "In the First Great Music of creation, you sang notes that were in celebration of things that fly under their own power. Our Lord, Eru Ilúvatar, has decreed that your part in His creation is to tend to the beasts of the earth, and most of all to the birds he loves, the very things that great Valar like Manwë, Vána, and myself, have brought forth from the very living earth on which we stand."

"Yes, my mistress," Aiwendil said, bowing reverentially. He was dressed in brown robes, had smooth, golden tanned skin, and had long, brown hair, beard and brown eyes to match it.

He watched as the Valie Nessa ran streaming by, dancing through the forest as was her wont, followed by the deer she adored so.

The Maia observed this with wonder. "Surely the deer of Lady Nessa are the most beautiful of all beasts, would you not say so, mistress?"

Yavanna said, "Everyone has their own idea of what are the most beautiful things he or she sees, my pupil, and I hope you understand this someday, for one must be open-minded to others' ideas as well as your own."

"Right again, mistress," said Aiwendil. There was a cry in the air unlike that an elf or Ainu would make. He peered up into the sky. Another cry sounded as he saw an eagle and a hawk flying by in tandem with each other. Their harmony amazed him, and he watched them as the great eagle swept down and carried off a field mouse, and then flew away to feed itself and its family. The hawk screamed and went on its way to find some food elsewhere.

"Hark!" Aiwendil cried. "Look to the eagle and the hawk! The eagle has golden- brown feathers on his body, and they especially stand out on the back of his neck. And he feeds mainly on rodents. He is called the Golden Eagle! And the hawk has a legendary scream and a distinct red tail. He is the Red-Tailed Hawk!"

"Very good, my pupil," said Yavanna with a smile, "'Tis also your part to give proper names to all the birds of the air."

"'Tis easier done than said, mistress Kementári," said Aiwendil confidently. He began to look everywhere as suddenly bird song, chirping, and cries to the sky's limits sounded all around him, and birds of all kinds came to the area, as if to congregate before him so he could celebrate their diversity and beauty.

"May Eru Ilúvatar bless you and keep you, my dear friends," he greeted them gently. "All of you, blackbird and bluebird, cardinal and goldfinch, dove and pigeon, falcon and owl, woodpecker and warbler, finch and sparrow, and all the rest of you, take heed to what I have to say to you." He cleared his throat and began to preach to the birds, which gave him their complete attention.

"You are all fearfully and wonderfully made by the One, Eru Ilúvatar, Father-of-All, and it is my duty to assume responsibility for your welfare and salvation after the bringing of evil into Eä, The World That Is, by the imprisoned former Vala Melkor. We must all work together to make a peaceful and healthy environment unspoiled by the machinery of Melkor and his twisted servants, so the environment will be beautiful and welcoming to the next generation and beyond. I invite all of creation, plants, animals, even natural forces to give honor and praise to the One who loves us so. He loves you so much that he will take care of even the lowliest sparrows."

For a moment, there was silence, and little movement. Then, two of the birds that were considered the lowliest, the sparrows, alighted on his right arm and left shoulder, and sang their song to the heavens above. As they got deeper into the song, the other birds began to join in; first the warblers, then the bluebirds and cardinals, then the goldfinches, then the pigeons and doves, and finally all the rest of them joined in the mighty crescendo until the air almost rang with their ecstasy and joy.

Then, it stopped. Aiwendil smiled upon them lovingly, and said, "Remember, Eru, the One God, will be with you always, and I will always be your faithful guardian angel, even unto the end of the world."

Suddenly the birds all flew into the air at once, singing one more time as if in goodbye to him.

"What did they say, Aiwendil?" inquired Yavanna. "Have you learned how to speak the tongues of birds yet?"

"Yes, mistress," said Aiwendil. "They have given praise to their maker, and they are very grateful to have Ilúvatar for a creator and life-giver, you for a shaper, and myself for a loyal and dearest friend. They also hope that I can preach to other birds in Valinor, as well, and that someday I can do the same for even the birds across the sea, in Middle-earth."

"Excellent!" Yavanna congratulated him. "I hope that I can find a way to help you get to Middle-earth someday and preach Eru's salvation to the birds and beasts there."

"I will always be ready for that day, mistress Kementári," Aiwendil assured her humbly.

**A/N:** I liked to say that all living birds could be found in Valinor as well as in Middle-earth, which is why I had a full variety of them visiting Aiwendil, if anyone's wondering.

**Please R&R!**


End file.
